Well, I have bitten the bullet, the Sprite has been sold and now lives on the East Coast with a guy called Mike Clay who will be riding it in the Poachers events in the lincolnshire area.
The Ariel has been purchased and Dad is chomping at the bit to get on with the build of the bike.
I bought the bike from Steve Thompson who has had it for a few years after purchasing it from Andy Pitt in 2005. The engine runs as sweet as a nut, in fact when I collected it there was no clutch on the bike so before starting to strip it down I put the clutch back on and it started literally 1st kick and ran like a sewing machine.
I took the bike over to the farm and managed to clean all of the sections that I rode so i am really looking forward to getting it built too as i am sure it can be competitive.
The bike came complete but had with it a brand new John Bartram frame, belt drive NEB clutch and a new ally tank, the engine had recently had a rebuild with new big end etc and had been fitted with a BTH mag so all the basics are there to build a great bike.
I have been in touch with Steve Gagg this week and he is making me a set of new primary cases that are smaller and narrower to fit the belt drive clutch better than the old cases, a new ally silencer and a bash plate. These should come this weekend.
I have a relative that is going to do the paint on the tank to make it look original. We are going for the burghundy colour with polished ally sides.
There will be some bits that Dad will be charged with producing, for example getting the footrests positioned and mounted correctly, repairing the mudguard stay mounting point on my old Norton Roadholder fork leg (taken from the Sprite before it sold), making a new brake pedal and brake rod, seat and rear mudguard mounts to list a few of the items that need replacing or improving for the final product.
The work will start at the end of this week when I strip the old bike back down and we can start to mount the engine in the plates supplied with the new frame.
I will keep the BLOG updated with pictures as the build comes together.
Dad has in his mind that he would like to complete it in time for a BMCA trial at the end of May but personally I would like to take the time ensure that it's finished for a roll out at the Bonanza trial at the end of June, which would allow for a bit of testing to get it right before stripping and powder coating for final build.
The pictures are of the bike as it was when I collected it. The bits that are coming off the bike (frame, tank, seat, oil tank, clutch and primary cases, yokes, footrests, rear brake pedal, mudguards etc etc) will be going back to Andy Pitt as he was the original owner and did the original work building it and wants to build another Ariel the same, so at least they are going back to a good home and will be used.
The Ariel has been purchased and Dad is chomping at the bit to get on with the build of the bike.
I bought the bike from Steve Thompson who has had it for a few years after purchasing it from Andy Pitt in 2005. The engine runs as sweet as a nut, in fact when I collected it there was no clutch on the bike so before starting to strip it down I put the clutch back on and it started literally 1st kick and ran like a sewing machine.
I took the bike over to the farm and managed to clean all of the sections that I rode so i am really looking forward to getting it built too as i am sure it can be competitive.
The bike came complete but had with it a brand new John Bartram frame, belt drive NEB clutch and a new ally tank, the engine had recently had a rebuild with new big end etc and had been fitted with a BTH mag so all the basics are there to build a great bike.
I have been in touch with Steve Gagg this week and he is making me a set of new primary cases that are smaller and narrower to fit the belt drive clutch better than the old cases, a new ally silencer and a bash plate. These should come this weekend.
I have a relative that is going to do the paint on the tank to make it look original. We are going for the burghundy colour with polished ally sides.
There will be some bits that Dad will be charged with producing, for example getting the footrests positioned and mounted correctly, repairing the mudguard stay mounting point on my old Norton Roadholder fork leg (taken from the Sprite before it sold), making a new brake pedal and brake rod, seat and rear mudguard mounts to list a few of the items that need replacing or improving for the final product.
The work will start at the end of this week when I strip the old bike back down and we can start to mount the engine in the plates supplied with the new frame.
I will keep the BLOG updated with pictures as the build comes together.
Dad has in his mind that he would like to complete it in time for a BMCA trial at the end of May but personally I would like to take the time ensure that it's finished for a roll out at the Bonanza trial at the end of June, which would allow for a bit of testing to get it right before stripping and powder coating for final build.
The pictures are of the bike as it was when I collected it. The bits that are coming off the bike (frame, tank, seat, oil tank, clutch and primary cases, yokes, footrests, rear brake pedal, mudguards etc etc) will be going back to Andy Pitt as he was the original owner and did the original work building it and wants to build another Ariel the same, so at least they are going back to a good home and will be used.
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